Within These Walls
by Masked Void
Summary: Set after the episode Night Falls. When Rex is bitten by one of the werewolf EVOs, while visiting Abuela, things start to get strange. With a monster on the loose and Providence agents winding up dead. Who's going to cure Providence's only cure? T for bood and profanity.
1. Chapter 1

**[Edit] well here's the first of the edited chapters. I didn't change all that much it's just slightly longer and I added so more stuff. Enjoy**

**Reading back through my old artist comments makes me disgusted in myself. I talked like a 12 year old**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

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><p>Within These Walls<p>

Chapter 1

I would be lying if I told you that I expected any of this. It would seem easy to think that living with Providence and fighting more Evos than I can count for the last couple of years would make nothing surprise me anymore. If anything it should have only made me more wary of the unexpected. I can't say that any amount of past experience would have lessened the blow of being forced to run from the only people I have ever considered my family. The only people that ever bothered to help. I didn't expect to be standing in my shower for hours in an attempt to escape the ever present sickly copper scent of blood that clung to my skin. I didn't expect to be holding what's left of my sanity together and trying to understand why these things always happened to me. Why did these things always have to happen to me? Most of all, I definitely didn't expect to be holding back the monster that I know was there; lurking within the shadows of my mind. I could feel it clawing at its' mental confines, waiting for the moon to rise so it could come out and play again. I could feel itsnapping and flashing bloody images behind my eyelids and release grating laughter that echoed through the very recesses of my mind. I could feel it twitching and stirring every waking moment of every waking day. Now, within these walls, it's going to paint them with the blood of everyone I hold dear, and I'm helpless to stopit.

The bite wound on my right shoulder painfully throbbed as I walked through the halls of Providence just to do something to occupy myself. I mean, the injury shouldn't hurt this much, should it? Holiday had said it was healing fine. Holiday herself had sewn and bandaged said wound yesterday. What had started out as a dull ache when I had woke up this morning had slowly evolved into a full-fledged burn throughout the course of the day. Not to mention I just felt plain awful in general. Like the feeling before you actually get sick that starts out as a pressure in your head that promises cold medicine and restless nights to come.

Step. _Wince. _Step._ Wince._ Step. _Wince._

This pattern was getting real old real fast. It wasn't THAT bad, well that's what I told them. Frederico had to have apologized to me at least a couple hundred times after the sun had risen, and he had returned to his senses. Eventually I had enough of the repeated; 'I'm so sorry Rex I didn't know what I was doing!' that just to get him to stop freaking out I flashed one of my dashing smiles and told him I had fought scarier Evos than a little Chihuahua like him. Frederico; however, didn't seem convinced, but that was probably due to the blood dripping down my arm to form a small puddle on the ground.

In all honesty, the bite hurt like hell and it kinda tingled in a weird way. Going by the reaction I got from Holiday, the bite wasn't exactly a pretty sight either. It hurt even worse than the time Van Kleiss tried to steal my nanites, and that was saying something. I was no wimp, I could take down Evos that could destroy cities. I practically ate Evos for breakfast! I could even steal Six's favorite suit (even though they all look the same) and live! So no itty bitty little bite is going to slow me down!

A particularly painful jolt from my shoulder broke me from my inner pep talk. Maybe the little bite could use an ice pack. I stole one from one of the many medical supply closets from around the base and headed for my room for some much needed rest.

The obvious lack of obnoxious snoring and discarded banana peels let me know Bobo wasn't around which allowed me to have some welcomed privacy. Another jolt from the bite had me stumbling to my bathroom. I didn't remember taking off my jacket or shirt nor do I remember unwrapping the bandages from my shoulder. What I do remember for certain is looking at the angry inflamed wound on my shoulder, which definitely didn't look good. In fact, it looked a lot worse than when Holiday had bandaged it less than eight hours ago and somehow the stitches had come undone. Following an unwise prod at the inflamed flesh revealed it was also leaking a reddish looking puss. The telltale signs of infection were ever present just by the mere sight of it.

Something was off, my nanites should have sped up the healing process, not let it get worse! Something was telling me I would need more than an ice pack to deal with this. Something more being a visit to the sexy doctor named Doctor Holiday. Even so, it seemed like the universe had different plan, because right when I was reaching for my communicator it buzzed to life in my ear producing static before a distinguishable voice could be heard.

"Rex, meet in training room 5-B in 15 minutes for your afternoon training; if you are late again there will be consequences," Six's stern voice could be heard through the communicator.

I was about make a smart reply about how nannies were supposed to take care of their charges, not beat them to the ground; but the communicator shut off before I could utter a word. I openly groaned and rolled my eyes knowing what training with Six would entail just as it did every day. I really didn't feel like dealing with Six's grueling training today. Personally, I just wanted to sleep off the building sinus headache and whatever my shoulder was doing. Maybe I could still go visit Holiday and get a letter from the doctor to escape what probably is the inevitable.

A fresh spike of pain lanced up my arm as I jerked my shoulder in the wrong direction once again re-bandaging the wound. I guess just add another thing to my ever growing personal list: sleep, possibly eat a slice of pizza and get my shoulder checked out by Holiday. Whatever, I guess training with Six came first due to the fact he probably wouldn't take the slightest bit of pity on me. Enduring one day of shitty training seemed like a lot better of an option than experiencing Six's wrath. If I was late again he would most likely take away my new video game. The thought almost dropped me to my knees. NO! Noah and I were planning to beat it this weekend! We were about to defeat the horde queen and save all of virtual mankind! We had spent too many sleepless Mountain Dew fueled nights on that game alone. I couldn't let Noah or all of virtual mankind down! I put my jacket on as fast as I could and booked it out of my room, while trying not to slip on the piles of dirty clothes. I flew through the halls and some interns on my Rex Ride making my way towards the training room. The intensified ache in my shoulder went unnoticed when really that should have been the first sign that something was seriously wrong.

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><p>What do you think?<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**[Edit] Sweet, two out of five done but still no new chapter**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, that thing.**

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><p>Within These Walls<p>

Chapter 2

Hah! You should have seen Six's face when I showed up early to training! He was shocked beyond words…okay not really. The only reaction I got was a slightly raised eyebrow, but he was surprised on the inside I know it! When I breezed into the training room like I owned the place Six just glanced at me before turning to the agent seated in the control room.

"Start the usual training drills," Six monotonously ordered the agent whom wordlessly nodded before busying himself with the controls and other doohickeys.

"Try not to destroy this training room like the last one," That was all Six said to me before heading to the control room to observe. Now I was the one shocked beyond words. Only normal drills? No laps around the petting zoo? No lasers? This was uncharacteristically nice of Six, but I was never one to look a gifted horse in the mouth as they say. Or however it goes.

"Hah, this is gonna be a piece of cake!" I chuckled as I slipped my goggles on and readying my Smackhands.

_10 minutes later_

"Siiiiiix I don't like these drills anymore," I shouted over the chaos that had quickly erupted following the start of training, "Okay, okay, okay! I'm sorry to whomever does the karma in the universe or whatever! When I said this was going to be a piece of cake that wasn't a challenge!"

At the moment I was using my Smackhands to block multiple laser turrets all targeted at guess who. Ya it's me, and yes, I did say lasers. The universe hates me, it's official. Usual training entailed fighting captured EVOs or navigating through various obstacle courses. Not this bullshit!

Guessing the universe decided to ignore my pleas or Six just being a jerk, a panel rose from the floor and long metal tentacles shot out from the sides to make a garb at me. Deciding to finally start playing on the offensive I weaved through the volley of laser blasts to grab one of the metal tentacles and ripped right off the panel. Not really a wise decision considering my range of motion on my right shoulder was quite limited. The action of tearing the tentacle jerked my shoulder in the wrong direction and I felt white hot pain prick my back again and make my skin crawl. I instinctively grabbed my shoulder as my Smackhands fell apart. With no protection I dashed behind one of the previously destroyed panels to seek cover from the relentless turrets, but I felt something wet and warm seep into my gloved hand that was holding my shoulder. I pulled back to see my glove stained a dark red-blood red color. My previous patch job didn't seem to have stopped the blood flow from staining the back of my jacket as it quickly soaked through the bandages.

I was too busy examining my glove that I didn't see the panel descending from the ceiling to squish me like a pancake.

"Rex move!" I heard Six yell and his warning barely gave me enough time to dodge. The impact; however, sent me sprawling and my shoulder felt as if someone was putting an open flame to it. The pain made my movements sluggish and my thoughts hazy. Once again my headache returned with a vengeance making me pray I would just be able to make it out of this training room in one piece.

The same panel with the tentacles was still trying to get a piece of me. I guess today is national 'Beat the Crap Outta Rex Day!' Anything I tried to build crumbled to scrap metal before I even had a chance to use them. To make matters worse, when I tried to move my right arm my fingers only gave a weak twitch in response. A half-crippled sick Rex was not a happy Rex.

"Greeeeeeeaaaaaaat," I drawled panting harshly. Now the tentacles were closing in on me. It's official, hate my life. By now Six was yelling at me about something, but I was too busy screaming for my life as a tentacle decided to wrap around my ankle. It then proceeded to hurl me against one of the nearby walls. I shakily got to my feet only to wobble and catch myself as the world tilted oddly on its side.

Stumbling in attempt to reach safety and clutching my still bleeding shoulder my perspective was only jarred even more as the panel beside me extend. I didn't have enough to time to dodge the blow this time so my body went into autopilot; I turned to the side to protect my head and chest.

Definitely a bad choice.

The panel slammed into my injured shoulder and flung me through the air like a rag doll. There have been few times when I have actually passed out from pain, and this was one of them. The pure agony that exploded from my injury brought all coherent thought to a standstill. Where I could only focus on the brilliant flash of white behind my clenched eyelids before it started to fade to blissful black. Though I held onto awareness by my fingernails and was briefly brought back into consciousness as I made contact with the opposite training room wall. I landed on the ground in a crumbled heap and any weak attempt I made at desperately trying to stand merely brought me to my hands and knees before collapsing. I laid on my side curling into myself feeling content to lie there in my personal hell as I could only focus on my labored breathing.

Polished shoes ran into my slowly fading point of view. Feeling a weight land on my shoulder and gently shake me, my response was a shuddering gasp of pain.

"Rex, can you hear me? Rex!" a voice a barely recognized as Six's came from above.

This new onslaught seemed to be oblivious to my situation as Six forced to lie on my back staring into too bright lights. Make it stop! Make it stop! Was the only thought that circled through my mind.

"Rex! Holiday get down here, Rex needs medical attention!" Six's monotone yet urgent voice was the last thing I heard before I finally got my wish.

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><p>I woke up to find myself in…my room? After giving myself a quick once over to see my condition I discovered there were no monitors or bandages, but after the beating I just took I should probably be in the hospital. Instead I was still dressed in my usual get up which wasn't entirely odd for me. I got up from my bed and gave myself an experimental stretch, nothing. Maybe a little slow but I wasn't sore at all. No stitches, no bandages, and no injuries. Huh, weird. I got up and without even touching the door it slid open. There was nothing out of the ordinary in the halls given there wasn't a doctor or agent in sight. Instead an eerie silence seemed cling to ever surface, which was odd considering that only happened on Taco Tuesday. I walked around but I didn't see anyone. No masked grunts no nothing. I walked down a bunch of hallways, checked all the training room, the cafeteria, and even the bathroom! There wasn't a soul in sight.<p>

"Hello? Is anybody there? Helloooooooo?" I called and I only heard my echo resonate through the empty halls. The only sound I could hear was my own shoes slapping against the tiled floor as I ran from corridor to corridor. I was seriously close to freaking out.

What the hell is going on?! What happened if there was a huge evo attack and everyone had to go fight? What happened if Van Kleiss killed everyone? What happened if they were all abducted by aliens while I was out cold and they only left me!? Now I'm the only hope for humanity! I slapped myself.

"Okay Rex just calm down," I told myself, "Maybe everyone's out getting coffee…all at once. Or maybe Doctor Holiday discovered something ground breaking about the nanites. Or maybe Caesar blew up his lab again. Yeah, that sounds right. I just need to relax and-" I was cut off by the lights overhead suddenly bursting and sending a shower of glass and sparks to the floor. Covering my head to protect myself I whirled around looking for the source of the sudden attack. The hallway I was in seemed to stretch and darken suddenly. Now, I was freaking out. The next thing I heard made my skin crawl in all different kinds of wrong and break out in a cold sweat. There was a blood curdling scream and I immediately built my Rex Ride heading straight for the noise to see if someone needed help. I heard the scream again but this time accompanied with a splitting howl.

Door after door whizzed past me until I came upon Holiday's personal laboratory. I busted down the door without a moment's hesitation using my Smackhands, but the sight that greeted me almost made me throw up my lunch. In the center of the room was everyone I had ever known in a bloodied pile. Some of them had their limbs torn off, while others had gruesome claw marks all over them. Noah, Holiday, Six, Bobo, Caesar; everyone I knew was lying in a pool of his or her own blood all sharing the same expression of vacant horror. All I could do was slump to my knees in utter devastation in the doorway.

"Why?" I whispered, "Why? Why? Why?! WHY?!" I screamed slamming my fists on the ground. There I sat screaming and cursing whomever did this to the deepest darkest pits of hell. My mind was sent reeling and trying think of whoever could have done this. Whoever could commit such atrocities?

"**Hehe, you like what you did?"** asked a dark voice behind me. I quickly stood whirling around with tears in my eyes and my BFS ready to tear apart the source; yet the only thing I saw in the now pitch-black hallway was a pair of glowing blue eyes.

"Who's there?!" I roared searching for someone to hack into tiny pieces so I could avenge my friends as tears clouded my vision.

"**Me? Oh, I'm offended. Why are you angry at me? After all, you're the one who did this,"** the voice asked mockingly from the shadows, but I still couldn't see a face. The shadows seemed to spread farther into the room looming over me as they circled my person. I tried to discover its identity of this horrendous creature but the swirling mass of shadows concealed any distinguishable features. Besides the smooth voice a distinct clicking could be heard as the monster paced around me.

"Shut up and show yourself dammit!" my sword was shaking with unbridled rage. I angrily swiped at the tears streaming down my face and bared my teeth ready to tear the thing apart.

"**You can't save them you know. You're going to kill every last one of them and it's all your fault,"** the shadow stopped in front of me.

"I SAID SHUT UP!" I screamed as I blindly slashed at the shadows but my sword never made contact with anything solid and instead I felt myself get knocked backwards onto the floor. I looked up dazed to see the shadow pinning me with barely visible blue fangs snapping inches from my face. I tried to squirm but gigantic paws with black claws dug into my forearms. I could almost see a smile spread across the shadows' face.

"**It's all your fault and they blame you,"** the shadow stated simply. The shadow tendrils licked at my form seeming to shake with sick mirth. Behind me I heard shuffling and the whispering of cloth brushing against tile; to my dismay I could see the corpses of my friends and family crawling toward me.

"Why Rex? Whyyyyyyyy?" each seemed to moan but their lips did not move. Their death covered eyes just locked onto me as they drew closer. Clawing at the ground with what available limbs they still possessed.

"I didn't! I swear I would never!" I tried to defend but I was drowned out by their collective voice that rose and fell with their apparent agony.

"Why Rex? Why did you kill us?" their whispering turned into screams as they dragged their mauled corpses ever closer leaving smears of blood in their wake. Mouths gaping and closing in silent screams.

"**You can't fight it Rex! You're going to become a monster and enjoy every minute of painting these walls with their blood!" **the shadow cackled above me.

"I DIDN'T DO ANY OF THIS!" I was hysterical as the corpses bloodied hands clung and grabbed at my limbs. I desperately tried to get away but I was frozen.

"**THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT REX**!" shadow and the bodies seemed to scream in unison as the corpses tore at my limbs. I writhed screaming in terror trying to escape feeling my skin tear away.

"**You can't fight it Rex,"** with that the shadow growled and its huge muzzle clamped onto my right shoulder with surprising force. I could feel my bones breaking and turning to dust as everything began to fade. The last thing I saw was a bloody orange and black wolf bearing over me with gore dripping from its snout.

I screamed and struggled. I could still feel the hands of my friends clinging to my limbs. Now that the pressure wasn't on my arms the first thing that came to my mind was BUILD. Instincts took over and heard something ripping before my head made contact with something cold and solid. I looked around dazed to see I was on the floor; white walls and heart monitor, which was beeping out of control, told me I was still in Providence. I allowed my Punk Busters to fall away and craned my next to see what I had been struggling with. The torn remains of sheets, which I had probably tangled myself in, lied discarded on the floor; not the bodies of my friends, just sheets. Once the adrenaline and panic wore off I realized it had all been a dream. More like a nightmare. It felt so real. So real I thought as I wrapped my arms around my prone form on the cold floor.

"**You can't fight it,**" I froze as I swear I heard the shadow's voice again, but there was no one else in the room. It's just…it's just my mind playing tricks on me. Though I didn't feel so wholly convinced. I need to seriously lay off the Mountain Dew.

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><p><strong>So, uh, review please.<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**[Edit] Almost done**

**Disclaimer: I don't own fictional characters**

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><p>Within These Walls<p>

Chapter 3

Three hours utterly wasted by staring at white walls and having people yell at me or treat me with kid gloves. Following a long lecture from Holiday and a bottle of horse pills-I mean medicine later I was finally out of the infirmary. Nothing new for Providence's cure; though it was hard to explain why the sheets were torn apart when I woke up and against my better judgment I didn't tell Holiday or Six about my nightmare. It wasn't that I didn't want to; it was that I couldn't. When I tried to tell them my mouth either clamped shut or my voice failed me, which left me in another unexplainable situation. It scared me to no end. When I finally regained control of voice and I was left sputtering to come up with an excuse and trying to understand what had just happened. It was as if something was stopping me from telling them and the same chill would run up my spine as when I had seen the shadow from my nightmare. I wanted to tell Six and Holiday, I really did. I wanted them to explain to me the gripping terror that would arise deep within my gut and make my skin crawl whenever the memory of the nightmare would come crawling back with a vengeance. But what could I do?

Now that Holiday's medical interrogation was over, and I had escaped Six's piercing gaze; I am left to absent mindedly wander the halls of Providence desperately trying to find something to occupy myself. Trying to figure out the answer to the strange happenings around me. Not to mention I'm sore, I have a splitting headache and according to Holiday the bite on my shoulder was infected; which I severely doubted. I'm usually not paranoid, that's Noah's job, but all of this strange stuff started happening after my visit to Abuela's. Not that I had much proof though.

Even if I could tell them I can already imagine, 'Yeah, I had this dream where you guys were all mauled and moving like zombies. Oh, and there was this creepy shadow thing telling me I did it. So what do you think that's all about?' that would definitely go over well. Holiday would most likely give me some weird medical jargon diagnosis relating to stress and Six would just tell me to get some sleep. I feel like I'm losing my mind in the wake of everything that is happening. Still my thought swung back to the events of the nightmare often conflicting between myself with whether or not it was the result of sleep deprivation or it actually meant something. Blood covered bodies and death covered eyes haunted me and I had to physically shake my head to remove them. I need something to get my mind off of things and sleeping was definitely out of the option. Bobo was god knows where in Vegas (lucky chatty monkey) and I was deemed unfit by Holiday to do anymore training. I guess it's time for an unscheduled trip to Noah's.

_Noah's_

When Noah answered the door, the grimace I received when he took in my appearance let me know I must have looked as bad as I felt, and I felt pretty bad.

"Dude what happened to you?" Noah asked eyeing me like I was just to keel over, which I felt like doing. Instead I unceremoniously plopped down on his couch. Making myself comfortable with face imbedding in the familiar smelling fabric.

"Yeah, man I'm fine, don't worry about it. Just some tough training with Six," I replied waving my hand dismissively as my eyelids began to flutter closed. I desperately tried to unwind the tense muscles in my shoulder and back if only to find a little reprieve. Even so, the bandages that kept catching on the inside of my shirt almost made that impossible.

"Do you wanna talk about?" Noah asked being the ever concerned friend as he tried to find a comfortable position on the very end of the couch. I could feel his eyes searching my back for any sort of reaction. I went to tell him about my weird dream only for my voice to wither and die. Clenching my fists and giving a weak shuddering sigh I could only shake my head.

"Are you sure, Rex? It looks like something serious happened," really I just wanted to forget the whole nightmare business and be done with it. Nothing was wrong. I'm sure I just needed a vacation from the constant EVO threats and crazed maniacs.

"Yeah, everything's fine, Noah. I just….I just I don't want to talk about it," I rolled over as not even the cozy smell of Noah's home offered any comfort. Blankly staring at the back of the couch I heard Noah shift and sigh before his voice piped up again.

"Seriously, it looks like you could use a burger," Noah offered. I only mustered a weak shrug. Not really feeling all that hungry but appreciating the gesture none the less. One reason I'm friends with Noah is he doesn't pry. I could come to his house beaten and bleeding after a long day, which I have done on multiple occasions, and he just shrugs going to get the first aid kit. Sure he can be a party pooper sometimes, kinda a wimp, but he's my wingman. He knows that sometimes I just need to get my mind off things.

Even still I stiffly unfolded myself to get up from the couch feeling as if I had aged 30 years just from lying there. I gave my shoulder an experimental roll to find the ache was still there but the burning had faded slightly due to the Holiday's medication. Wincing despite knowing the obvious outcome of that. Noah gave me a once over with eyebrows furrowed. My only reply was to stuff my hands in my jacket pocket and walk out the front door to our usual burger joint.

After we had ordered our food and sat in relative silence despite a few failed attempts on Noah's part to start up conversation about literally anything. I sat knowing that Noah would eventually cave, allowing his curiosity to get the better of him, and ask me what was wrong.

"So what's up man? You're definitely acting a bit off," refusing to meet his eyes I chewed on the inside of my cheek debating if I should share my suspicions or not.

"Okay, remember when I told you Caesar was taking me to go see some relatives?" I asked feeling good to finally be telling someone seeing as things were going well so far. Maybe this was all just in my head.

"Yeah, and didn't you say some of the people there went EVO only at night like werewolves or something?" Noah offered brows still furrowed not knowing where the conversation was going.

"Exactly! While I was there, I met one of my friend's way before I lost my memories. Before the nanite event even. He was one of the people that changed and started attacking the nearby town and things got all sorts of messed up. Then while we were fighting he accidentally bit me, but I'm starting to think it's more than just a "bite" y'know. While I was training, the shoulder I got bit on started hurting to the point where I couldn't move my arm at all and now I had this nightm-," I was cut-off by the bloody face of Noah flashing through my mind. His mouth agape with blood leaking through empty eye sockets and skin limply hanging from exposed bone.

My mouth that was open midsentence clamped shut with an audible snap and my eye widened in panic. It was the same presence that seemed to wash over me every time I spoke about what was happening to me but it seemed to have amplified. It was suffocating and I swear I could hear the shadow's laugh reverberate through my skull tauntingly. As soon as the sensation settled, it vanished leaving me chilled to the bone. This was getting really annoying to say the least. Noah was staring at me in mild confusion while he began to snap his fingers in front of my face.

"Rex? Earth to Rex? What were you saying about nightmares?" my eyes swiveled to him owlishly but I still couldn't bring myself to say anything.

"Do you want me to call Holiday?"

"No. No, I'm fine I swear," I said shoulders slumping sullenly at another failed attempt. I stared at the crude writing scratched into the cheap linoleum table.

"Okay, you keep saying that but something is eating at you. You look like you haven't slept well in a week and you're pale," he moved to reach across to me but I jerked away. Seeing Noah's hurt expression I was about to make up some excuse for my actions, but before he could say anything our food arrived.

Miserable reaching for my burger I didn't realize how hungry I was until I stared at the glorious piece of greasy meat and bun in front of me. My previous mental struggle was put on the back burner only slightly as I took the biggest bite of my burger, which was topped with everything possible. But instead of tasting fattening bliss, I tasted dirt. I quickly spit it out and chugged half my drink trying to get the taste out of my mouth.

"Is something wrong with your burger?" Noah timidly asked having seen the whole scene and was now eyeing my burger like it might go EVO any second.

"It tastes like ass," I bluntly replied while I continued to rub my tongue on my jacket trying to get the taste off of it before once again chugging my drink. Now I glared at my burger as if it had somehow wronged me.

"It doesn't look bad," I just gave him a withering look that said 'trust me it tastes like shit' and he sighed while begrudgingly handing over his burger; which I greedily swiped. It was disappointingly plain but I was too hungry to care at this point. I took a bite of the meat, and the flavor that assaulted my taste buds was almost enlightening. I couldn't remember a time when meat tasted this good.

I devoured the patty in one bite, but I had to have more. So I took another and another and another. Until all that was left our table was discarded wrappers. My mind was just focused on meat, meat, meat, but the greasy patties left me strangely unsatisfied. Still I craved more.

Turning to the table beside us I could see the couple had several burgers in front of them. I paid no mind to their indignant shouts off protest as I leapt over to snatch their food. Buns forgotten I went from one table to another gorging myself on the over patrons food. My feast was only interrupted as someone grabbed my arm and forcibly pulled me away.

My response was to throw the attacker to the ground as I pulled back my grease stained lips and give a threatening snarl. That was until I caught a whiff of the smell of warm blood pumping through the person in front of me. I felt something stir deep within me as I watched the pulse beneath the papery skin of their jugular quicken with fear and I reveled in it. So easy to just bite into their throat despite my dull teeth and rip it out. I could hear their heartbeat and it caused my mouth to water adrenaline pour into my system.

This time though, I felt something warm grab my shoulder and whirl me around forcing me to focus on whomever was standing before me. Several quick throttles and eventually a panicked voice broke through to my senses.

"Rex! Rex! You need to stop!" my eyes stared vacantly at him wondering what the hell was wrong.

"Dude, calm down, you've had like 12 hamburgers! You just went over and fucking stole their fucking food! And you started growling at people and shit! Literally what the absolute hell was that?" I stared at Noah in shocked silence trying to remember what I was doing just moments ago. I turned around to see a scared employee still sitting on the ground from the fiasco staring at me and trembling in fear. People were huddled by the windows while other had fled out of the building when things started to get out of hand.

"Seriously, are you okay? Do I need to call Providence to come get you or something?" Noah asked, both eyebrows rising in confusion from my sudden horror but his voice was still a couple octaves too high. My previous thoughts came rushing back and I realized what I wanted to do; what I almost did. Part of me wanted to be sickened but truly I didn't really care.

"I-I did this?" I asked in hush horror staring at the scared people around me. My stomach churned with disgust and something foreign as I rushed to the bathroom. I clamped a hand over my mouth and urged myself to keep my lunch down but failed miserably. I ended up on my knees praying to the porcelain god as I emptied the contents of my stomach. My shoulder dully throbbed and it felt like my mind was going through jelly. Everything felt slow and I heard the shadows laugh one more time before I felt it fade to somewhere dark.

"**You can't fight it…" **the words kept echoing through my skull until I was sure my head was going to split open.

"Oh my god. Oh my god. This isn't happening. I'm fine. I'm fine," I said feeling myself shaking as panic began to seep into my mind. Splashing water onto my burning skin. _Get a hold of yourself_, I mentally urged but my resolve was shattered as I looked in the mirror to be met with a ghastly sight. I looked unnaturally pale for how warm I felt but the eyes were what caught my attention. Blue rings surrounded both pupils and gave off an ominous glow, while my slightly open mouth exposed the tips of pointed canine teeth.

Something is definitely wrong.

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><p><strong>The usual<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**[Edit] Only one chapter left to edit. Still cringing at my old artist's comments. I was a little shit.**

**Disclaimer: Y'know the drill by now**

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><p>Within These Walls<p>

Chapter 4

I'm going insane. That's the only I conclusion I can come to no matter how I look at my situation. Trust me I considered a lot of different explanations: alien abduction, mind control, alternate dimension but none seemed likely.

I must have just stared at my reflection in the mirror for what seemed like hours. Who can blame me? Glowing blue eyes and sharp teeth are NOT normal, and this is coming from the person who builds machines from his body on a day to day basis. So I did the most normal thing I've done in a while: I freaked. No, not the normal freak in which I usually scream and fall on my butt. No, this slight mental break down consisted of me running from the restaurant like the dogs of hell were at my heels. I ran past the concerned glances the still scared customers and ignored the scream of fear the employee I had attacked as best as I could. Of course Noah, the concerned friend he is, chased after me; but he eventually realized I wasn't about to stop anytime soon after about a block.

When I finally had enough sense to stop, my body sort of went on autopilot and I did the only thing I could; I called an annoyed Six, who berated me for sneaking out. All the while I continued to nervously check my appearance in a nearby shop window for anymore new developments to my transformation. Lucky for me while I was fleeing the restaurant my eyes and teeth had returned to normal making me question my already shaky mental stability. I think my mind was in denial, because I remained silent until Six noticed my uncharacteristic submission and ended his slight rant. I flatly told him to come pick me up and he gratefully did not ask any questions.

Cold dread curled around my heart like barbed wire and left me with a strange, prickling sense of unease. This can't be nightmare I realized, because I know what those feel like and reality isn't something you can wake up from; but I didn't want this to be reality. Wanted to wake up in my bed with Bobo threatening to throw a Bobo bomb at me if I didn't go back to sleep, but I couldn't delude myself anymore. I couldn't keep thinking this was some morbid nightmare.

As I saw the Providence jet in the distant running a shaky hand through my hair in an attempt to regain my bearings. I tried to form a sheepish smile as I got on the jet with a fuming Six waiting for me. Suddenly listening to creepy voices in my head didn't sound so bad compared to an angry Six. I tried to put up my usual smiling front but I knew I failed miserably under Six's analyzing stare

_He's going to find out_

My mind kept repeating over and again like a mantra and my palms began to sweat into my gloves. What is he going to find out? That I'm hearing voices? That I have some sick addiction to meat? That I about nearly ripped out somebody's throat?

"What's wrong Rex?" Six's monotone voice called in front of me as I look up. I plastered on a smile that I wondered if it looked as fake as it felt. He guessed something was up that fast? He knows me all too well, but I can't. I'm scared to voice my fears because that would be admitting I have them. Six always taught me I couldn't show fear; I had to be impenetrable. He taught me I had to be strong no matter what, but I'm afraid that if I keep them to myself, I'll start losing what pieces of my sanity I still had left. I'm so torn on the inside that I merely continue to curl in on myself instead of facing my problems.

I can't meet Six's gaze as I spin a half assed lie, "Nothing's wrong Six. Just Providence's greatest hero needs a little more beauty sleep that's all," Just keep smiling. Keep acting all smug and untouchable and eventually you won't be lying anymore. I can handle this.

"**No you can't…"** the shadow's voice came creeping back dripping with malice. It was smooth and icy as it slivered through the mental barriers I had built to keep it out. Its voice was mockingly reassuring like a parent talking to a child, but I knew better. I automatically stiffened once hearing the voice and my shoulder began to ignite with pain once more. I only ground my teeth behind my smile while trying to hide the panic that swept through my being.

"Rex, don't lie to me," Six said sternly and glared at me behind his shades to get the point across. The underlying concern was muffled out be the shadow's all too familiar cackle.

"Six I'm fine really-," I weakly reply but he cuts me off.

"I said don't lie to me,"

"**Yes, just keep lying to them. After all, that's all you're good at. Lying and acting. You can't save them when you can't even save yourself," **the shadow's laugh echoed through the crumbling walls in my mind. The same chilling sensation from earlier was soaking into my bones and I subconsciously moved my hand to clutch at my burning shoulder.

"I mean it Six, I'm fine," I don't even believe myself.

"Did Noah say something to you?" you didn't have to be a genius to hear the threat in the question. My head immediately snapped up in surprise at the idea that Six would think Noah did something. Noah didn't do anything wrong, 'it's me who's screwed up' I want to scream.

"**Tell him Rex, he's just going to abandon you. He can't help you, none of them can! He's going to leave you to rot just like all the rest of them,"** an image of Six turned away from me and shooting me a glare of disgust, flashed through my mind. They wouldn't abandon me. They can't abandon me. They're all I have left. Pure desperation and abandonment burned through my veins like acid. Loneliness wasn't something I could handle. I held onto them with everything I have, because they're _ALL_ I have. They're all I remember. Losing them would be worse than forgetting. The world was beginning to tilting at an odd angle. I lowered my head in an effort to block out their voices. The voice was lying. It had to be.

"…No…." I mumble more to the shadow than to answer Six. Denial formed a cold block in my throat.

"**They can't save you! You're a monster! You almost killed your best friend! Not much longer until you kill the only family you have left,"**

"Shut up….." I mumble through gritted teeth as the pain in my shoulder increased. I don't want listen. It's lying!

"Rex?" Six laid a comforting hand on my shoulder but the contact felt as if he had shocked me. I jerked back painfully and pressed myself against the cold metal of the back of the jet.

"Nononononon," I begin mumble shaking my head deliriously. The blinding pain in my shoulder was unbearable. My stomach was twitching and spazzing, while I feel sweet drip down the back of my neck. It's lying.

"**You're going to kill them all tonight! Paint the walls with their blood and enjoy it,"** last night's nightmare came back full force.

"Shut up!" I yell as my eyes became distant and unfocused. The images whirled through my mind like some sick slideshow, getting faster and faster until they were but blurs. I won't! It's lying!

"Rex!" Six shook my shoulders but my world was spinning with the vivid images.

"SHUT UP!" I screamed in desperation and clutched my splitting skull. I fell to the ground writhing in pain. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"I screamed. My world just kept spinning while the shadow just kept laughing. God I hate that laugh with the fiery passion of a thousand burning suns. I pressed my skull to my knees hoping to relieve the headache and stop the horrid images. I heard Six call my name and the shadow cackle before all-consuming darkness enveloped me its' comforting grasp…again.

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><p><em>Running, Running, Running. At least I thought I was. Indescribable shapes blurred past me as ran, but nothing felt right. Then again nothing really feels RIGHT with me anymore. I kept running through the endless white corridors. The walls whispered words of restraints and stale. Every wall I destroyed there was only more blocking my path to freedom. Black claws clicked against the white tile and echoed with the footsteps behind me, or were those still mine? The footsteps irritated me for some reason, and even after the resonating screams and the splashes of red across my vision stopped, they still persisted. <em>

_Everything was white. White white white. I felt the need to tear apart everyone off the blank walls until I reached the sunlight. I was running to escape. My legs-paws moved faster to the scattered memories of sunshine and the smell of earth._

_Desperate voices behind me screaming a name I barely recognized as my own caused my pace to stutter. There was a blinding light but faces I almost remembered blocked my path to freedom. My muscles twitched with pent up energy and begged to run without interruption. A growl that surprised even me, ripped from my throat with my fangs bared menacingly. I lunged forward breaking a barrier I didn't know was there. The shards reflected the fear in their eyes and a beast I did not recognize. The walls were no longer white. They were dripping red along with the floor and the ceiling and their bodies. So many bodies. A feeling of disconnection washed over me like a blanket and an endless void opened in my heart._

_The white suddenly seemed so much more comforting. Like faces I had forgotten. Then there was nothing._

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><p>I woke up with a start choking back a scream building in my throat. Bits and pieces of a fleeting dream had my hands shaking and a cold sweat breaking out across my forehead. The last pieces began to fade away, but the hold they had on me would not leave. With the adrenaline from a flight still running through my veins I could only ball my fists in the sheets of an unfamiliar bed as I tried to control my ragged breathing. My skin twitched and itched while my shoulder burned, sending a warm sensation down my back as my feet connected with cold tile.<p>

The walls seemed to close in on me from every angle. I desperately sucked in air to my deprived lungs, was I having a panic attack? No…I just need some fresh air. Yeah, that's it fresh air. I stumbled to the door resting my sweating forehead against the cool metal, while my nanites did their thing. My body knew the path as my mind slipped in and out of awareness. I was like a burning ghost wandering the hallways of my prison. The hospital gown I barely registered I was wearing fluttered around my knees.

When the last door slide open I found myself in the petting zoo, not exactly FRESH air but it would have to do. I stared up at the skylights allowing me to have a view of the overcast sky. Around me I could hear the roars and screeches of incurable EVOs and the still sensible part of me wondered if this was really the best place to go to for only fresh air. I couldn't find the will to move; however, as I held in a trance staring at the clearing sky. The prickling under my skin increased tenfold as if ants were crawling beneath my skin. My unfocused eyes began to see the glowing outline of the moon beneath the clouds. Everything around me was drowned out when the clouds completely cleared the sky, revealing a full moon. Then….everything turned to hell. Complete. And. Utter. Hell.

Agony exploded in my shoulder like someone had stabbed me with a dull knife and twisted. I was forced to my hands and knees as I felt my shoulder pulse with unnatural pain. My shaking arms could not support me as the buckled under this onslaught of agony. I feel face first into the ground gasping for breath, to the point where I was almost hyperventilating. My heart started to beat faster as if it wanted to escape my chest. Then, as I stared at the moon, I felt as if my trance was solidifying me somewhere beyond my control and smothering me in my own thoughts. The moon's rays somehow made my flesh sting in the weirdest way. My eyes fixated on the moon and I couldn't look away. My body started to burn all over, my skin stung and my veins felt as if fire were running rampant inside them. I clenched my teeth together until I was sure they would shatter, breathing in sharply as the burning intensified.

I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from screaming. I thank whatever god is up there that I didn't have my gloves on right now, because they would have surely been ripped to shreds as I watched the horrifying transformation. My fingernails sharpened into black metal claws and molded together making three pointed claw like hands. While my hands turned into something gruesome I could feel a similar sensation course through my feet. My hands now looked like some twisted version of my smack hands but with black claws. My feet also resembled normal wolves paws put with orange metal. A cold feeling rushed through my chest that I could only explain it as my organs were liquefying and being assorted in a way that couldn't possibly be human. I was forced to listen to my bones crack and reshape themselves into a more animalistic frame. I couldn't hold back the screams of pain any longer, and I prayed for someone to find me and end my suffering.

I could hear my back snap and extend growing a blade tail from the base and my shoulders begin to expand. I gritted my teeth, and tried to breathe, as my hospital gown was torn to shreds from my growing body. Pain coursed up my arms, into my shoulders, chest, back, up my neck, everywhere. I tried to close my eyes and yell at the ground, trying to find some verbal sanctuary from the pain.

My mouth opened more as I tried to form a silent scream, but the pain was incredible. I tasted blood in my mouth as my teeth felt as if they are being stretched and sharpened, filling my mouth uncomfortably. At this point my entire face hurt. I groaned and grunted as a muzzle stretched from my face and my ears stretched back, curving slightly.

The pores on my skin open and black hair started to sprout from them. In some places blue circuit patterns, similar to the ones that appear when I use my powers or cure EVOs, snaked across my body before metal ripped from my skin. Blood splashed across the ground and coated the orange metal giving it a red glow in the moon light. Orange armor seemed to sprout from my shoulders and face before overlapping down my spine. Silver spikes ran down my spine making me look like some demented robot wolf. Tears of pain slide down my metal face as the transformation began to slowly ebb away until it is but a dull throb shaking me to my core. I tried to stand on my hind legs only for me to fall forward once more; realization dawning on my struggling mind, while looking down onto my canine appendages.

I look up to the moon once more and felt something building in my gut. I tried to force it back but it would not be denied. I raised my lupine face towards the sky, letting out a spine chilling howl. The EVO in zoo sunk back deeper into the shadows fearing an EVO more dangerous than them all.

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><p><strong>Thank you<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey I uploaded! Wait, what? I bet you guys are all like 'WHAT THE FUCK? exclamation point times efinity'... well my inspiration decide to be a bitch and be like, "ABANDON SHIP MUTHAFUCKAS!" I know this chapter is not what you guys expected after my long hiatus (I spelled that right?) and is terrible and I'm incredibly sorry. I hope my readers (what are there like 10?) I hope my ten readers don't decide to unfavorite me or anything because that would break my fragile heart *feigns hurt* okay not really but I'd still be sad beyond measure. So don't hate me loves! I love you all because you're all kawaii amazing desu sparkle sparkle and all that crap... I could go on about all my excuses as to why I haven't updated most revolving around me trying to get ready for an anime convention I'm going to but you all don't care about that :P**

**So to get back in my Generator Rex kick (when will the new episodes start ;A;) I was reading a story by Landy BonBones(I'm sorry if I spelled it wrong) and let me tell you it is pretty frickin bomb. So go read it ya... No seriously do it.**

**FOR ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN COMMENTING ON MY AUTHORS NOTE BEING LIKE THIS IN ALL CAPS AND WITH NO PUNCTUATION I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY**

**1) I INTENTIONALLY DO THIS**

**2) NO MY CAPSLOCK BUTTON IS NOT STUCK**

**I DO THIS BECAUSE IT GETS YOUR ATTENTION AND MAKES YOU READ IT. SO HAHA THE JOKES ON YOU...okay not really but if it really bothers you all that much I'll stop since by your comments you guys and girls are obviously reading this. That is all please read le story**

**Discalimer: I own jack squat so don't sue me please**

**Listening to while typing this: Monster by Paramore**

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><p>Within These Walls<p>

Chapter 5

_Who am I?_

Now that's a pretty scary thought considering I've spent so long desperately trying to hold on to what I still know and remember. Now I know I shouldn't reminisce on the past when my life so revolved around the here-and-now, but it isn't easy to abandon what was taken from you. Forgetting isn't easy, but trying to remembering is so much worse; especially when you don't feel at home in your own mind anymore.

How did I end up here again? Huh, I guess it's just another thing I can't remember. Write that one down on the ever growing list. It's suffocating here and dark and empty, why can't I feel anything? Sometimes ghosts of sensations wrack my body leaving my nerves fried or snapshots of images will fleet across my conscious so out of reach. None of this feels _right. _I shouldn't be trapped here like some animal, but I am aren't I? Now that brings me back to the ever present question:

_Who am I?_

Because I'm sure as hell not Rex anymore…

In the Petting Zoo all was still except for the occasional stir or slight movement from hiding EVOs. Maybe all wasn't still because a rustle of leaves suddenly broke the almost oppressive silence. Out of a group of bushes a large bipedal EVO lurched forward on short stubby legs. Its massive neck supported a small head and large antlers that resembled tree roots snaking and twisting around each other with the occasional jagged point sticking from the mass. The EVOs hollow green eyes searched for danger while tattered ears swiveled much like a cats. It could almost be compared to a deer and that might have been at one point that was until the nanites twisted its body. It mannerism sure resembled a deer by its timid actions as it searched for predator in the underbrush. When finding none its large head bent to nibble on the surrounding plant life, but perhaps it was not as aware of its surrounding as it should. For in the shadows of leaves and trees shocking blue eyes stared out at it.

The large creature prowled forward while orange metal plated lips pulled back into a snarl to reveal glowing blue teeth adorned with circuit like patterns. On its hunches like a cat it stalked forward keeping a bead on the oblivious EVO. The deer EVO was no the wiser to the approaching threat until it made a crucial mistake.

_CRACK!_

It had done the cliché mistake of stepping on a dried twig making as sound comparable to a gunshot due to the absolute silence. With air of surprise gone the beast launched at deer like EVO, teeth bared but it would to go down without a fight. It brought up its horns and caught the beast in its antlers before sending it into the glass walls. Cracks formed in the glass but the fighting creatures paid no mind. The wolf EVO charged forward once more with the intent to kill.

Six's POV

Now despite much misconception I liked my line of work. I might not _love _it, but I sure didn't hate it. And even if I did hate it, it wasn't like I had many other career choices considering I'm a trained mercenary and arguably the sixth most dangerous man on Earth. I could never imagine myself working in some tiny cubicle like many of the middle class population, I just couldn't do it. I would no sooner try one of Bobo's famous Monkey Blitz; a drink which he claimed could make you not remember the next three hours of your life.

Now beside the obvious danger my job can be quite demanding considering I have to fight things that would make the average man scream like a little girl on a day-to-day basis, get thrown around quite a bit by said creatures, and deal with my ever disobedient charge. So you can see that dealing with this everyday can wear any man down with or without years of grueling training.

So I had just finished my nightly rituals, which included sharpening my katanas and more combat training. After I had finished that, I usually went to bed at the reasonable time of 2a.m, so you can see that it is perfectly acceptable for me to be irritated when someone interrupts my required two hours of sleep.

I had just started to doze when my communicator buzzed to life before a static warped voice could be heard on the other end.

"Six here," I said curtly trying not to snap

"Situation in observation center **[1]**. An unidentified EVO has attacked and terminated another specimen. Security footage reveals that the unidentified EVO is threat level 3, take extreme caution," The voice responded from the other end. I was already dressed, equipped and out the door by the time he had finished his briefing, but I froze at the information that an EVO that dangerous was able to get past security only tripping it in the petting zoo.

"How was it able to get past the perimeter?" I asked eyebrows furrowing. Something was off, but then again it wouldn't be the first time the security left something to be desired. They couldn't even stop a boy and his monkey from routinely escaping.

"No security footage reveals any forced entry," I sighed pinching the bridge of my nose. Of course they didn't know how the EVO got inside Providence

"Location…" I stated as my dress shoes clicked through the halls

"Southeast corner of observation center," and that was it before the connection cut off. I switched the frequency to contact Rex.

"Rex. Situation in Petting Zoo," But all I received was static on the other end, "Rex, come in," still nothing, "Rex!" I said annoyed that I would once again have to track him down.

"Holiday where's Rex?" I said patching through to the doctor.

"I don't know. I was just about to contact you about that," her voice came from the other end.

"He's not with you?" I asked recalling having left the unconscious teen in the doctor's care. In his condition he's liable to injury and shouldn't be walking or most likely running around with the chatty monkey.

"No, I went to check on him and he was gone. I contacted Noah and he hasn't seen him since yesterday; neither has Bobo," she replied once more with slight worry.

"I'll find him," I said continuing my trek to the Petting Zoo assuming Rex had just escaped again or was sleeping somewhere

"Six that's not all…." She said emotion filing her voice. I was about to say something before she continued, "His bio-reading chart seems to have malfunctioned or short circuited and all the data was destroyed. From what I can tell, there was a massive spike in active nanites before the computer could no longer handle the data. You don't think he…." She asked fearfully and an image of the giant behemoth that was Rex before I found his surfaced to my mind. It would make sense. His sudden mental distress and strange behavior could have caused the nanites to become active

"I'm going to find him Holiday," I said sternly quickening my pace towards the Petting Zoo but one thought still lingered in my mind:

_What if Rex did finally change into a full EVO?_

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><p><strong>Review Review Review Review okay who am I kidding I can't make you guys do shit so I will just strongly suggest you review whether it's to yell at me for not updating or what. It'll just look like I have a bunch of reviews on the search thingy even if they're all hate<strong>

** Masked Void bye bye~**


	6. Chapter 6

**So what do y'know I have finally posted the next chapter. Thank you everyone who wrote to me offering support or to just tell me to stop being a lazy butt. I greatly appreciate it and I can't wait to see what you guys and gals think of the next chapter. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: ehhh**

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><p>Within These Walls<p>

Chapter 6

_Six's POV_

"Rex? Come in, Rex? We have a situation at the base!" All further attempts to reach Rex were much like the first; his entire radio frequency had gone silent and all footage surrounding the area were destroyed beyond recovery. Holiday didn't think Rex would have gotten far considering the shape he had been in, but I was being to suspect this was just another ploy by some group to once again eliminate Rex or in the least kidnap him. It would explain the sudden break in during the middle of the night and coincidentally during a time when Rex is unable to defend himself. Even so, at the moment it was out of my hands as I left it to Holiday and her group to find him as I took care of this threat. Believe me I wanted to be out there looking for Rex just as much as Holiday but unfortunately this came first.

My dress shoes barely made a sound as I headed towards the source of the chaos that had erupted within the Providence base. Even without being previously given the coordinates of this unidentified EVO it would have been a simple task of finding its location just by following the flow of armed foot soldiers and other fleeing personnel. The blaring alarms had been quickly shut off after the other troops had gained even the slightest grasp of the situation but the flashing red lights periodically placed throughout the base still persisted.

It wasn't long before I came upon several strategically placed barricades that had been set up surrounding the EVO in hopes that if it attempted to escape this section of the building then there would be enough armed troops to stop it before it caused any further damage.

_Not that it would make any difference_, I bitterly thought to myself, _most of these troops here are essentially cannon fodder. _I quickly squashed these thoughts realizing I was just irritable after being woken up in the middle of the night and the radio chatter that had been going through my com a mile a minute.

"Any change?" I asked one of the soldiers whose rank I didn't bother to check.

"It's, uh, it's still over there. The EVO has not moved from its original position, sir," huh, probably a grunt by the almost comical double take and his obvious hesitancy just from speaking with me. Looking up trying to gain my own assessment of the situation I realized that whatever all these troops were pointing their guns at was virtually invisible. All the lights within a 50ft radius of the EVO were shattered and none of the troops had any sort of light on the thing.

"Why is no one getting a spot on the EVO?" I called out to the other troops all squatting around me. Most turned to stare at me but my annoyance grew as they were all too scared to answer.

"The EVO seems to constantly emit a low level EMP. Any power we try to route to this area is ineffective, thermal vision goggles are fried, and even fucking battery powered flashlights are useless. We have to go at this by ear," another faceless foot soldier gruffly responded obviously not too keen on the late night interruption as well.

Without so much a grunt in response I hopped over the barricade using the wall as my cover as I glanced around the corner. I could clearly see a shape moving in the far corner of the hall as it ripped at the chest cavity of the other fallen EVO. Shards of glass as well as the growing pool of blood surrounding the pair reflected the small slivers of moonlight being cast through the shattered observation window. It was obvious the EVO was at least partially aware of all the troops surrounding it by the way its ears flickered at ever gruff order or clicking of guns. Whether it was much more concerned with the meal at hand or it just plain didn't care I wasn't sure, but it never looked up from the corpse in front of it.

Feeling that my skills weren't as of yet needed I turned to soldiers situated behind me still awaiting orders.

"Fire stun rounds," was all I said as the cocking of guns echoed throughout the hall way and only then did it seem to attract the EVO's attention. Glowing blue eyes raised to meet mine; pulling back its bloodied lips, and revealing glowing blue teeth to give me a deep reverberating growl. At this the cacophony of gun fire sprang to life as the EVO made a charge straight for me.

Of course the stun rounds seemed to have no affect against the EVO, bouncing off its hide with sharp metallic pings. Flipping the swords from my sleeve with practiced easy I braced myself for the coming impact as the EVO showed no signs of slowing it down only to run straight into my crisscrossed swords. Struggling with the force of EVO still trying to barrel over me I quickly deflected the creature's weight to the right, ultimately sending it crashing back through the Petting Zoo window.

It rolled midair landing on all fours with me jumping through after intending to stab it in its flanks, but the EVO quickly rolled out of the way leaving my swords buried in the dirt. Without giving me a moment's rest the EVO once again charged towards me with jaws agape obvious aiming for my throat. Ripping one of my blades from the ground I slashed upwards catching the bottom of its jaw and sending it flying away from me. Jumping into the air once again I heard the almost familiar whirring of nanites. The EVO whirled around slashing me from the side with a sword that had emerged from its tail; swatting me aside like a mere fly. My back slammed hard into a tree leaving me barely regaining my bearings just as I was forced to duck to escape decapitation. Rolling out of the way and throwing one of my swords in the process to gain some distance between me and the creature. It leapt back with a snarl as my sword came close to being embedded in its chest, while the tree behind me fell over with a deafening crash after being sliced clean through.

The EVO stood snarling at me as I readied my sword for the next attack to come, but instead there was the sound of guns being cocked overhead. We both looked up to see several squads of troops peering through the previously destroyed windows as they switched over to kill shots, most likely at the request from White himself. The barrage of bullets that rained down on the EVO made it let loose a high pitched yelp as the scene before me was concealed by smoke. After what felt like minutes of just continuous gunfire there was finally a cease and desist order given out. It was probably a little over kill considering very few EVOs could survive a constant onslaught of the anti-EVO rounds. Even the few rounds that were fired at Rex by accident had dropped him within seconds as the rounds shorted out the active nanites in EVOs.

Despite this when the dust cleared a glowing blue bubble could be seen in the center of the carnage and the now revealed wolf like EVO was still standing in the middle of it.

Next thing I know the EVO is crashing through the underbrush with snarl and me hot on its heels, but by the time I even come close to it the thing has already crashed through the north facing perimeter door and ran off into the night.

Going back to pull my sword out of the ground where I left it to my surprise there appeared to be blood staining one of the edges. I distinctly remember that this was the blade I had used to cut the lower jaw of the wolf EVO during the fight. From my knowledge only a select few EVOs actually bled red.

"Holiday, have you discovered any breaches in the perimeter before the EVO set off the alarms in the Petting Zoo?" I asked into my com link watching as several ships circled the base trying to find the escaped EVO to no avail.

"No, no other alarms were tripped and security footage shows nothing. The only footage that was destroyed was from the cameras around Rex's room and the Petting Zoo. Even the trackers we have placed on Rex are not giving off any sort of signal," she rattled off obviously frazzled and worried about the boy.

Just as I had thought, but my brows still furrowed in confusion. None of this was making any sense and nothing was matching up. Other quadruped EVOs bled a variety of different colors other than red and even some bipedal EVOs bled other colors as well. Not to mention most EVOs are trying to break out of providence not in. Though what troubled me the most was that a 15 year old boy doesn't just disappear in the middle of the night, but then again it wouldn't be the first time. Feeling the same dread I had felt when I was first debriefed on the situation I once again contacted the Doctor.

"I want you to pull up all the security footage you have and all that is even remotely salvageable. I want to have a look at this for myself," it looks like my long night is going to turn into a long day altogether. Something was seriously wrong, and I think Rex was set right in the center of whatever was unfolding.

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><p><strong>Love it? Hate it?<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Sweet Mary mother Teresa on the hood of Mercedes-Benz this is the longest chapter I have ever written. It's neatly 3,000 words long and 8 pages (double spaced) I cannot believe I actually typed that much. Not to mention this is the longest fic I have ever written. **

**Disclaimer: I am still poor**

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><p>Within These Walls<p>

Chapter 7

When I awoke the first thing that was made very aware of was that I was severely uncomfortable. Whatever I was lying on was rock hard and I was freezing. Finding that lying face down wasn't all that comfortable, my attempt at rolling over brought forth a groan that quickly erupted into a fit of hoarse coughs. Coming to realize I was sore all over, and covered in a slew of cuts and bruises; I made myself content with studying the insides of my eyelids until the pain slowly ebbed away. Finally, after a trying ordeal, I eventually made it onto my back to not be greeted with the familiar white ceilings of Providence. Instead, open sky meet me, only slightly obscured by the buildings and skyscrapers surrounding me.

That snapped me into awareness pretty fast as I fought past the discomfort to sit up, trying to discover where the hell I was. It seemed I had awoken in some city in a dingy alleyways sleeping behind a dumpster. Fucking gross.

"How the hell did I get here?" I groaned to myself trying to remember what had happened in the last 24 hours that would have caused me to end up here. I hung out with Noah, weird shit happened, I passed out again, I had another nightmare, and then? Nothing, everything was this blank haze. I prayed to god hoping I wasn't once again losing my memory, luckily though it seemed I had only forgotten the last couple of hours.

Falling back down to the ground still trying to find a logical solution to my current predicament I brought a hand up to my face trying to rub away the headache building behind my eyes. Disgust swept through me upon feeling my hand was covered in a sticky viscous substance. Whatever I was expecting to be on my hand considering I woke by a dumpster would have been better than what I saw.

Blood.

Blood everywhere, caked so thick that it had dried almost black. It wasn't just on my hand; it was all over me. It was all the way past my elbows, on my face, and all over the torn remains of the hospital gown I was somehow still wearing. The smell that invaded my nostrils was so putrid I promptly threw up my stomach's contents only to find more of it. To my dismay I had thrown up large chunks of what I assumed was flesh and an unhealthy amount of blood. Forcing myself to turn away I dragged myself away from the evidence of my actions, while willing myself to not throw up again.

"No, no, no, no, no. Please, god no. I didn't! I didn't do this," my shaking hands tried to wipe all the gore away only for it to smear across my face even worse. Not even my frantic tears could cut through the mess; only forming blood tinted trails down my cheeks.

"**You did this,**" the shadow added lazily flashing images of Six's surprised face as a wolf lunged for his jugular. Clenching my eyes shut I grabbed at my hair with enough force to rip it from my scalp only to feel bits of flesh between my fingers.

"I'm sorry I didn't-I didn't-no please I'm so sorry," my words were jumbled and incoherent as I rocked back and forth in the secluded alley. I couldn't go back to Providence—I couldn't go home. I killed them all. I killed my family just like the shadow said. I killed everyone and I couldn't stop myself. More images of violence snapped through my mind until I screamed.

"Please, I'm so sorry. Just make it stop! Please, just make it stop," my voice trailing off into sobs. Curling in on myself knowing I had lost the only family I had left. The only people that cared about me. Feeling the pure unadulterated horror slip into my gut like a rock. I couldn't be alone, not again. I was probably being hunted like the crazed EVO I was. Something that needed to be put down like White always so eloquently put it. I deserved it. I deserved to be cut open and tortured like the monster I was. No, I didn't even deserve to meet a swift end. That was too generous. I should be forced to suffer for what I did. Should let myself rot somewhere where no one would ever find me. My sobs echoed off the filthy walls as the world was oblivious to my anguish.

I don't know how long I lied there waiting for the end to come. Waiting to just be put out of my misery. Long enough for the blood that coated my body to dry and crack. I clutched the torn remains of my hospital gown even closer as if it would offer some shielding from the cold. Just as my mind was slipping into comfortable numbness I heard the all too familiar whirring of Providence jets overheard.

I could tell they were searching the city by their uneven flight patterns. _Probably searching for me_ I thought. Taking this as my cue to flee I stumbled to my feet thankfully leaving the bloodshed behind. Knowing that I had no home at Providence any longer I decided that I was ultimately going to live like those other wild EVOs in isolation as to no hurt anyone else.

Thus, my first mission was to get the blood off of me and find some new closes as I was pretty obvious in my current attire. It wasn't all that difficult to find a gas station and slip into some outdoor bathrooms, but the sight of my face brought on a whole new wave of self-loathing. Blood really wasn't a good look for me. I looked ghastly even as my face twisted in disgust and my fist slammed into the mirror. Smashing the mirror didn't make me feel all that better and instead I was left with bleeding knuckles watching the brown blood lazily swirl down the sink drain. Glowing blue eyes stared back at me from the shards of the mirror until all I could do without breaking down again was to leave the dirtied bathroom behind me.

Now with new threads and my hospital gown bundled up and tossed in some trashcan I was left wandering the crowded streets. I burrowed into the dark blue fabric of my stolen hoodie as best as I could, while weaving through the throngs of people crowding the busy sidewalk. People barely paid me any mind despite a few glares as I bumped into shoulders or bags. Eventually finding myself with nothing better to I sought some sort of solace on a bench in a little patch of grass and a playground generously called a park. Being left alone with my thoughts I inevitably pulled out my hands from my pockets of my stolen jeans. There was still blood beneath my finger nails as well as in the creases of my hands. No amount of soap and scrubbing could remove it all. Clenching my hands into fist and bowing my head as I felt new tears threaten to fall. I couldn't cry anymore, I knew that. Knew that there was no way for me to bring them back from what I had done. I shouldn't be crying for those I killed.

"I'm a monster," I silently admitted to myself and this time there was no laugh or sarcastic quip from the shadow. Instead a high pitched scream erupted from behind me making me jump and swivel my head towards the source of the sound.

A mother who was pushing her toddler on a swing nearby watched as her child ultimately underwent the early stages of the transformation into an EVO. Its skin bubbled and festered as its cries turned into distorted shrieks. Ones cracked and reformed to so once it was all over the young toddler now looked something akin to a large rat with spikes instead of fur and too many legs. It quickly tore from the confines of the swing set and with saliva dripping from its exposed teeth it stalked closer to its once was terror stricken mother It leapt with claws ready to slice into her abdomen and before even thinking I had stepped in between her and the raging EVO. Building my Smackhands I threw it into the playground with yelp.

"Be careful that's my baby!" the women cried beside me tugging on my arm as if I was the one that was a threat. I coldly glanced at her before shrugging her off and pulling my hood over my head. I didn't need Providence to notice me if they came to investigate this new EVO.

From the twisted metal that was once the playground the EVO emerged hissing at me. Readying for another attack the EVO seemed to give me a quick glance before tearing off towards the nearby street.

Cursing I built my Rex Ride and gave chase despite knowing my chances of being discovered were only increasing. I couldn't do it. I knew if I was discovered that Providence would either cut me open or lock me in the Pit. I knew I deserved that at least but I just didn't want to be forced back to stare at the bodies of my family.

Shaking the thoughts from my head I swerved through oncoming traffic as the EVO ahead of me bobbed and leapt over the speeding cars. Horns blared as once again the EVO darted away from me down a narrow street. Swerving around to follow it I was met with the sight of another Providence jet hovering ahead of me.

_Shit,_ I thought as I demolished my Rex Ride, quickly turning down a nearby alley and instead giving chase by foot. My previous aches and pains were all but forgotten as I hurtled over traffic and leapt over the fleeing pedestrians with ease. It was exhilarating to say the least, I couldn't remember the last time I've had this much fun chasing an EVO. Following the thing for a couple city blocks I was keeping up with it relatively fine despite that fact that I should have grown exhausted long ago.

It wasn't until I came to a not so busy street that I found that I had lost sight of the EVO in all the chaos. The Providence jet had thankfully flown away having not seen me in pursuit of the EVO; still, with all the people running around me it was difficult to hone in on exactly what they were all running from.

"**Duck**," I heard the shadow say and without thinking I dropped to the ground seeing the EVO I was chasing leap over me. The rat quickly spun around giving me another hiss; this time obviously done with running. I felt the shadow laugh at its display thinking that it was going to threaten me. I felt something similar to rage flood my system as I pulled back my lips to give a snarl of my own.

With this the EVO charged, but I dodged the attack easily giving me a chance to swipe at the underside of the creatures belly with claws of my own. Not hesitating with this new development I gave the EVO a sharp kick to its side sending it into a nearby building. Looking down at my new black claws extending from my nails I looked up and gave the EVO a toothy smile. Not letting up I charged at the EVO intending to punch the thing in its deformed face, but quicker than I thought, the EVO dropped out of the way giving me a swift head-butt to the gut.

"**Back**," the shadow once again offered as I back flipped from the EVO as it made a snap at my knees. Continuing its attack the EVO lunged at my chest only for me to grab it and brutally hurtle it into a nearby car. Following up the attack, I sharply kneed the thing with a yelp hearing a satisfying crack of its ribs. With its back legs it kicked me away having finally realized that it had little chance of winning this battle; it made a quick turn to try to escape, but I was having none of it. With speed I didn't know I possessed I swiped at the creatures hind limbs quickly removing its means of escape.

With its legs effectively gone it was sent hurtling into the ground with garbled squeak. Not giving it a chance to recover I lunged at the EVO wrapping my bare hands around its throat and slamming it into the ground with a vicious smile. The EVO persisted in its struggle clawing at my arms as it coughed and gagged. I wasn't even fazed from the gashes on my arms as I slammed the EVO into the ground again and again with a roar.

"Release the EVO!" A voice called down from a hellacarrier that had arrived half way through the fight. Breaking me from my attack I looked up and growled at the Providence ship, that was until I saw a familiar face in the bay doors.

"Six?" I gasped before hearing a weak noise from below me. The EVO I had pinned was slowly ceasing its struggles as it succumbed to lack of air. Realizing what I had fully intended to do, I got to work on communicating with the nanites. The familiar whirring of the small machines filled my ears seeing the EVO below me shrink in on itself and regain its human features. Once it was cured I staggered back placing a hand over my face as to block the image of the toddler's still form beneath me. They're alive? Everyone is okay?

"Rex?" Six yelled as he was unloaded from the ship along with the rest of the troops.

I turned to stare at him with wide eyes thinking this was all some trick on the shadows part. I saw—I thought he was dead, but there he was. A sob slipped past my lips as I fell to my knees feeling my face crumple into tears. Everyone was alright I hadn't hurt anyone? I was shaking from the relief I felt.

"Rex are you hurt? We've been searching for you after you went MIA at the base," he asked kneeling beside my shaking form. His stern voice was undermined by the comforting hand he placed on my shoulder giving it a gently squeeze.

"Everyone is okay?" I gasped looking up to Six with misty eyes. His brows furrowed dipping beneath his sunglasses.

"Yes, no one is injured," he answered evenly, mistaking my question thinking I was asking about the current EVO attack in the city

"Though, you did a number on the kid," looking up I saw the toddler being carried off in a stretcher with a bright orange blanket covering the many wounds on his body. I winced seeing the concerned mother fretting over her unconscious child.

"Rex, we need to get you back to base," Six stated helping me to my feet, but I shook my head taking a few calculated steps from him.

"I'm not going back Six," I said realizing this was my only chance to escape or be carted back to Providence. Knowing that my family was safe was enough to steel my nerves facing the fact that I could never be near them again. Knowing that I should never be near them. Just thinking that I had killed Six and hurt the rest of my family was something I didn't want to experience again. I owed my family that much.

"Rex, we're not arguing about this now. Holiday and I need to ask you a couple of questions as to why you were nowhere on base last night while it was being attacked," he responded sharply quickly turning to walk towards the ship thinking that I would offer no further resistance.

"I'm serious, Six. I'm not going back with you," I squared my shoulders as he stopped midstride watching as the muscles in his back tense beneath his suit jacket. He slowly turned around fixing me with a hard glare behind his shades before pointing towards the ship.

"Get in the ship. Now," he stated and I could hear the bite in his voice letting me know he would soon start yelling. I bristled at this as he spoke to me like some unruly child. Returning his glare I made no move to enter the jet. Couldn't he see I was just trying to protect them? I was doing this for them. Six of all people should know that sometimes people lock themselves away as to protect others. Despite my inner turmoil my resolve held strong and I refused to allow my face to show anymore despair.

"No," was my only reply. Taking this act of defiance as the breaking point for Six's patience he literally stomped over before getting in my face. I was ready for a punch or a kick but instead he grabbed the back of my hoodie and physically dragged me towards the jet. I was having none of it. With snarl I ripped from Six's grip and bared my sharpening teeth. I felt my eyes shift and my nails lengthen as I glared back at him.

"**I'm not going anywhere with you**," I growled out.

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><p><strong>Do the does please. Am I good at writing angst yet?<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**So this chapter was originally supposed to be really long and have an epic fight scene and everything but half way through typing it I realized that would have made it way too long. Just this chapter was 15 pages so I'll be posting the rest of it some time next week as chapter 9 instead.**

**Also could y'all go do me a favor and thank the Archangel of Dragons for me because they really inspired literally all of this chapter. They gave me a lot of ideas and have been a huge help with writing this story. So thank you so much!**

**Disclaimer: Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more!**

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><p>Within These Walls<p>

Chapter 8

_Six's POV_

Now of all my travels around the globe I have a great variety of untold displays of violence and acts of cruelty. Here though, watching this altercation between these two EVOs from above, what I was witnessing was the most basic forms of combat between two predators. The hooded figure fighting the smaller EVO was brutal in its attacks, negating any damage received to strike out with brutal swiftness. There were no calculated strikes or well-placed parries only the intent to maim and kill between the two figures. There was no honor nor skill in these types of fights, and thus I wanted no part in it. Even so, Providence had their order, whether I agreed with them or not; and my orders were to contain these two threats. Believe me there were much better, more productive things I could be doing with my time than interrupting some mindless brawl between two EVOs; preferably to looking for Rex.

Having surveyed a majority of the city and contacted every one of Rex's possible aliases I was reaching my wits ends. Every second we wasted, the longer we took to find him, the further Rex slipped from our grasp. Normally I was content knowing Rex possessed the capabilities to fend for himself, but following his recent decline in health and previous mental breakdowns I was all too aware of the fact that he didn't stand a chance.

My troops quickly took notice of my souring mood having searched for the remainder of the night with little success. I was beginning to grow frantic as we were slowly forced to expand our search radius and Holiday's scans were still coming up negative for Rex's unique bio-signature. At this point my hands were beginning to itch with the urge to just rip into something and find who could have possibly hurt Rex so they could be painfully and slowly decapitated.

Growling with annoyance just wanting to get this over with I reached for the ship's microphone for the exterior speakers hoping for once that one of these EVOs had enough sentience to just listen to reason and make this easier on all of us. It would be nice change of pace for once to persuade the EVOs to stop in their mindless rampages and then send them on their merry fucking way with little incident and without the huge waste in government funding and equipment. Though it didn't seem like one of those days.

"Release the EVO!" I called down to the larger of the two figure who currently had the smaller one pinned proceeding to choke the life out of it. It rose glaring at the ship with disdain I likely shared until it caught sight of me standing in stark contrast to the bay doors. What I didn't expect was the events that followed that had me hurtling past unloading troops with a shout of 'Rex!' Things all but exploded into blue light surrounding the pair just as I had witnessed hundreds of times before. The hooded figure loomed above the quickly shrinking EVO with his head bowed as blue circuits snaked down his arm.

I couldn't be this easy that Rex was just hiding under our noses the entire time? Of course it was that easy, because no one seems to be able to do their fucking jobs around here. Despite this I still I had my suspicions, because whatever that thing was down there it sure as hell wasn't Rex. He never fought so volatile—so full of animalistic rage he was trained better than that. Better than simply resorting to mindless violence. He especially never fought EVOs with the clear intention of harming the things none the less outright attempting to kill them.

"Six, we've got signal from Rex's bio-signature in your immediate area," Holiday practically cheered into my com confirming my fear, as of course, the coordinates she rattled off were my exact location. My pointed glare to my surrounding troops had them shrinking away pretending to busy themselves with menial side work. You better be ashamed that you're trained military personnel and you couldn't locate one teenage that was injured for that matter.

"I think I just found him," I was never good at detective work in the field usually my means of interrogating is to either threaten or beat the information out of my target. Even so, this doesn't mean I'm too dense to see when pieces were coming together and certain events were related. The nightmares, the break downs, the bite Rex sustained, and the EVO attack from last night were all connected somehow. I had the distinct feeling that things were beginning to create a bigger picture I wasn't ready to look at just yet. I doesn't really matter because as soon as I'm done being relieved to have found Rex I'm going to make sure Holiday finds out whatever the hell is wrong with him; she can figure out the answers to this mystery we have on our hands by herself

Back to the matter at hand I was all but flying past unloading troops and the unlucky ones who didn't get out of my way were all but ran over. When I was finally in sigh of my unruly charge my steps faltered at seeing his haggard state. Despite his little excursion, it seems that whatever has been plaguing Rex is not quite done with him and is only taking its toll on his already fragile mental state. Every time I find him it just seems like he's getting worse and worse. He's so pale and broken. The way his shoulders all but crumple and his intimidating, defensive posture makes a complete 180 as the cruel predator I had just witnessed gives way to the scared 15 year old underneath. Rex's face seems to all but shatter with heartbreaking relief when he looks into my shaded eyes. It tears at my heart in a whole new way while these rare moments of vulnerability seem to be occurring more and more recently in the coming days. I'm brought it startling awareness that despite all of Rex's combat training and experience he is still only a teenager. His form shook with sobs as he fell to his knees staring at me with such begging and pleading eyes as if he thought I would just up an vanish.

"Rex, are you hurt? We've been searching for you after you went MIA at the base," I asked kneeling beside the vulnerable teenager restraining myself from outright embracing him. Even so, the gentle hand I place on his shoulder seem to answer whatever doubts plaguing him.

"Everyone is okay?" His eyes clouded over with tears that slowly trekked down his face, but the far off looking in his eyes alerted me whatever dissociative episode was taking place. Following his first breakdown I was beginning to recognize the signs that another was imminent.

"Yes, no one is injured," Shouts were erupting from behind us as the medical squad rushed to care for the cured EVO. What brutality I had witnessed from the ship was nothing compared to seeing the brunt of the damage first hand. Several fractured ribs, clean break in his right femur and a plethora of other cuts and bruises littered the child's form. _Rex did this_ I dully noted making the blood in my veins freeze.

"Though you did a number on the kid," I absent mindedly muttered trying to connect how he managed to inflict that much damage without even using his builds. He wasn't trying to take the EVO down, he was trying to kill it.

_Because he's a dangerous EVO_ the treacherous part of my mind offered and I had to fight the urge to recoil. The sensible part of me wanted to get the hell away from Rex and had been screaming at me to do just that since I picked him up in the jet the day before. I could see the kid's blood splattered on Rex's clothing as well as on his face. The gore stood out like a beacon the kid's too pale face and watery eyes. _Rex did this_ my mind repeated and this time I had to stand to hide my shaking hands.

I need to get Rex to Holiday now.

"Rex, we need to get you back to base," it seems nothing ever plays out like I planned. I could already see things beginning to go bad as Rex's body shifted away from me and the guarded quality his eyes took on.

"I'm not going back Six," dammit all couldn't the kid ever just follow my orders for once?

"Rex, we're not arguing about this now. Holiday and I need to ask you a couple of questions as to why you were nowhere on base last night while it was being attacked," _I need to get you back to base before people start realizing you practically killed the kid. _Get in the jet.

"I'm serious, Six. I'm not going back with you," people are staring now. Troops are glancing our way. They're whispering between sidelong glances to the teen covered in blood and shaking their heads. Media has already arrived at the scene filming a reporter talking about another act of Providence brutality at the hands of their supposed 'cure'. The mother is screaming over her injured child as to how Providence could do this? We're supposed to help people. But who is helping us?

"Get in the ship. Now," this isn't happening here, not now, not like this. Just get in the ship. Just get in the damn ship. This was going to end in violence. Someone is going to get hurt and it's going to be me, because for the love of god I can't hurt this kid.

"No," the single syllable rang out clear over the noise around us. He shouldn't be this cold least of all to you. Please don't make me do this. Please don't make me draw my swords against you. The look in his eyes tells me he's full prepared for a fight. He's prepared to make a stand and fight his way out of this. He looks like a cornered animal. Dragging him away by the back of his hoodie I should know very well now what cornered animals are willing to do.

A growl breaks from his throat and before I even have a chance to turn around I feel cold steel slice into my arm and wrist. Rex is ripping from my grasp and the fabric slips from my clenched fingers with a rip. Looking down, the anger and worry that had been boiling in my veins suddenly overflows as I see blood—my own blood flow into my palm. This isn't the boy I spent five years raising and training. This isn't the same 15 year old from three days prior who was trying to learn Spanish from Google translate. Black claws sparkled and caught the light, claws I dreaded seeing again and brought me back to yesterday night where I was fighting for my life. Against my better judgment I brought my eyes to meet my once was charge now revert back into the dangerous EVO I knew was hiding just beneath the surface.

It seemed fate never seemed to play on the same side as me. The dangerous growl rose in ferocity only causing the hairs on the back of my neck to rise. _Rex did this._

**"I'm not going anywhere with you**," Rex bit out and this time I reacted naturally to the threat before me; flicking my swords from my sleeves I hit Rex with the flat part of the blades. He seemed to stagger for a second sharp teeth clicking together and glowing blue eyes dilating to tiny pin pricks before rolling back in his head as he succumbed to unconsciousness.

"Holiday, be ready in the medical wing with a full team for Rex," I stated already heaving Rex's limp form into a jet. His brows seemed to tighten while his expression turned distraught that had me pausing as I placed him into an empty seat.

This wasn't how it was supposed to play out; any of this. I was just supposed to watch and train the kid not develop a soft spot; not grow concerned him, and look at where it got me. If I didn't let him go with Caesar alone, if I got him to Holiday sooner, if I was just able to notice something was more seriously wrong than just too many sleepless nights then none of this would have happened. I slammed my fist into the control panel of the jet swearing loudly before bring it down a second and a third time feeling the strain pull on the new cuts on my arm. _Rex did this_ my mind whispered and this time there was no denying it.

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><p><em>Rex's POV<em>

Now it's understandable that following my experiences at Providence, the good and the bad but mostly the bad, that I have developed a sort of aversion to the color white. There's nothing particularly bad about the bland color only that I've come to associate the shade with none the few trying experiences. After five years of living in my own personal white purgatory it now only speaks to me of restraint and lying in the dark of my room wishing for things I could never have. Wishing to remember a past I no longer had a place in. So now the first thing I see as my consciences slowly drifts back to me is that vile color. So bland, so void of any personality. Like a blank canvas people would say, but it takes a skilled hand to turn the color white into anything beautiful. The only possibilities for imagination these white walls possessed was the destruction of it.

As my mind began to stir from the blackness it has been occupying quite recently, courtesy of the hell that has become my life, my consciousness was slow to slip back to me. Bright flashes behind clenched eyelids almost had me wishing to return to the ever encompassing emptiness in which I had escaped. Muted whispers came next that would fade and crescendo into white noise that only served as an annoying buzzing scraping across my fragile mind. Still I persisted into pushing past the sensory overload that seemed to make the task of coming to awareness almost daunting.

With an audible gasp I woke with a start, and immediately regretted it as too bright white lights flooded my vision. Muscles already tensed to prepare for whatever danger brought brief snippets of a fight that had me heaving and eyes rolling around wildly for the perceived threat. Even so, what snapped me awake faster than the lights overhead was the feeling of being restrained, in pain, and confused. My endeavors to rise from whatever I was lying on was met with a swift jerk in the opposite direction. Looking down I realized why. I was strapped to a metal medical gurney. My hands and legs bound with thick leather straps usually seen in mental hospitals. My thought process was still slightly stunted due to my rude awakening and the concept that maybe my frantic struggles weren't going to loosen the leather straps anytime soon never occurred to me. Thus, I slipped into my natural body's reaction and began to panic. Gasping in a lungful of air my struggling only increased seeming to attract the attention of whomever I shared the room with.

Faces swam overhead but I paid them no heed only focusing on the matter at hand that was until they decided to place their hands all over me. The white noise that I had been ignoring from the beginning pounded at the forefront of my mind, but was drowned out by my vicious snapping and growling at the figures above me.

"Rex….need to…calm…more…sedatives now!" someone screamed and the world only became a thin tunnel of my perspective. This was just another nightmare I begged some part of me to just wake up, because suddenly the hands pinning me down were instead clawing at every exposed part of me. Ripping and screaming as the putrid air of gore and death filled my lungs while the shadow's cackle echoed through my mind. I only had enough mind to recognize the cold glint of steel above my head as someone filled a syringe with god knows what but I knew it was intended for me. Something snapped within me like a switch being flipped inside as my panic response went from flight to fight. Orange clouded my vision and the restraints all but lifted from my body given me the blessed chance at escape, but reality came crashing down all too soon.

White was everywhere I turned. White walls, white lab coats, and white shocked faces saying things with their mouths gaping open like fish. I swayed for a second as my BFS kept these unfamiliar people at bay until a familiar face stepped out from the crowd too white crowd.

"Holiday," I asked with teeth still bared and clouded eyes darting around distrustfully.

"Yes, Rex it's me. I need you to put the sword away. Can you do that for me, Rex?" her voice was calm but her eyes were too wide, too fearful. She took a delicate step forward even while my sword was still drawn only for it to snap up to be centimeters from her throat.

"No…no I need to leave here," I swayed unsure of where my feet wanted to take me. I didn't even know why I wanted to leave. I just knew I couldn't stay here. It wasn't safe here. I was still in the nightmare. These people weren't real.

"I know you do, Rex. We were just giving you a quick check up to make sure you weren't hurt today," the confidence in her voice was all a ruse. She's scared I can smell it on her. They're all scared. I can see the way her hand trembles ever so slightly as she pushes my sword slightly out of her face. This is only a nightmare.

"Just relax, Rex," and against my better judgment the distrust that arches up my spine melts away into familiarity. My sword folds back away and a look of relief crosses Holiday's features before it's replaced by and air of professionalism and an all too fake smile. My gaze snaps to the other doctors in the room and they jump back at my threatening display of growls and gnashing teeth. Holiday clears them from the room with a quick jerk of her hand her eyes never leaving my face.

"**Can you trust her?**"

"Now Rex, I'm going to need to ask you a couple of questions, alright?" she asks fumbling with several scanners besides me, but I can see her watching me from her peripherals; as if waiting for some reaction on my part. I lower myself to the same medical gurney knowing full well that this isn't how our interactions are supposed to go. With us dancing around one another like we're walking on eggshell. She's scared of me and me of her but for all the wrong reasons. So let's play this game of normalcy like nothing is wrong for just bit longer if only for my own piece of mind.

"Go ahead. Shoot doc," it sounds like a death sentence even to me and I know I fail at normalcy with my too sharp smile that's full of vicious cruelty. Her analyzing glance flickers to me for a second like she's trying to read my features and stiff body language. _Come on Doc I know your field is in biology and nanotechnology not psychology._ She isn't going to find anything useful in my expression besides my glowing eyes so she lowers herself to playing on my level.

"Where were you last night?' Not the question she wants to ask. She's beating around the bush trying to get as much information out of my without asking the question she needs to know the most. Her nonchalance is betrayed by her rigid posture and the way her eyes scan over her tools to look for something she knows is sitting right there.

"I was staying at Noah's," a lie and a bad one at that. Where was I? I wasn't here that's for sure, because the monster running through the base wasn't me. Something just inhabiting my body crawling beneath my skin and fighting for control all the while.

"We called, Noah. He says you weren't there last night," this time she brings up a magnifying glass to my eyes shining a light into my pupil. They dilate to tiny pinpricks and her mouth turns to a grim line seeming the way my irises glow blue with unnatural light.

"He must have been covering for me so I wouldn't get in trouble," all the while I smiled at her not taking my eyes off her face. I knew full well what that cylindrical device in her pocket was that she kept fiddling with. Who was going to win this game first? Who was going to snap under the pressure?

"Why was there blood on you?" she turned away showing me her back. This was a test and I knew it. Seeing if I bolted or attacked her like the animal she thought I was. Maybe she was right. That's a cruel move, Holiday, to put your life on the line.

"I got in a fight with an EVO this morning, Holiday. It must have come from that," I shrugged dismissively averting my eyes to the white walls. I scowled feeling my claws slice into the mattress I was clenching to stop myself from lunging at Holiday.

"**It would be so easy…**" the shadow supplied with a laugh

"The samples we collected matched that of one of the EVOs we hold here," she knew already. It wasn't really a guess anymore as to who she expected. Who she thought was the killer.

"Maybe I got in a fight earlier with it—,"

"One that was killed last night by another unidentified EVO," she gave me a pointed look from across her clipboard that she brandished like a weapon. I saw the way her shoulders squared and her knees bent slightly preparing for an outcome that would surely be the end of our game. I didn't want it to end, not like this. So I forced myself to relax onto the gurney despite the darker parts of me screaming to rip her throat out.

"**You could be out of the base before anyone even found her body**," I knew it was right

"You already know that I wasn't at the base last night, Holiday," that was it I had won. What proof did she have? She was going to let me walk out of this room and off this base to never be seen again. She was going to go her separate way and eventually forget about the boy who could build machines and cure EVOs. She was going to create a worldwide cure for this global pandemic like I always knew she would. She was going revered like a hero. Turning the tide in this fiver year long war I wasn't a hero and I will never be.

"Alright, well I just wanted you to know that the EVO last night attacked Six. It tried to kill him. Almost did at one point. He was really worried that it might have gotten to you first so he spent all of last night looking through the security footage and then looking for you. Luckily no one else got seriously hurt in the fight," fuck. That was low blow Holiday even for you. You can't go cheating at this game. Besides the one who controls the rules is a lot less kind than I that's for certain. You couldn't leave well enough alone, Holiday.

I was already leaping from the bed and getting way to close for comfort to Holiday by the time she ripped the needle from her pocket and held it to my neck. Several growth spurts and result of fighting EVOs for a living had already put me about a head taller than her even with her heels. Intimidate was a dated tactic but it worked all the same. Her very being trembled and the smell of fear filled the air that had the beast cackling with excitement.

"What are you trying to say, Holiday?" I snarled down at her while she tried to recover the fragments of her brave façade. The needle at my neck quivered slightly even then I knew she lacked the conviction to do it. I begged her to. I begged her to jam that needle into my neck so I wouldn't have to experience the pain once again that accompanied the rise of the moon. If she didn't she was essentially playing Russian roulette with everyone's lives. The question hung over my head like a guillotine: _would this be the night that I kill them all?_ They had been lucky the first night but it was all going to run out eventually. No part of me doubted the shadow's conviction of making its promise of bloodshed a reality.

"Holiday what is the status of Rex?" White's ever scathing voice emerged from the intercoms around us breaking us from our standoff. I backed off slightly as Holiday gently placed the needle back on to her lab table with shaking hands. We didn't take into consideration another player entering into out game. Still I wondered if her temporary victory was worth the price of seeing what I had become.

"Rex's biometrics are stable and any previous wounds he received have all miraculously healed. In all he has a clean bill of health though I can't clear him for active duty at the time being," she stated flatly as I took to staring at the pristine white walls again. My scowl deepened at her statement knowing full well what she was planning to do. It looked like Holiday was willing to gamble with the false presumptions that she knew what she was getting into and most importantly thinking that she could restrain me. I hope whatever she had in mind was a hell of a lot better than strapping me to a metal gurney.

"Holiday, I know you are Rex's designated physician but you have to realize that we are fighting a global epidemic at the moment. We need Rex to essentially be running 24/7 and unless he has something seriously ailing him that prevents him from curing EVOs then he will continue to fight," this time White choose to grace us with his presence as his disgruntled face appeared on an ordinary monitor that descended from the ceiling. Another reason I hate the color white. He was practically bathed in the loathsome color. Staring at him too long I'm sure the color would be burned into your corneas. Bland with no really personality. Just because he was bleached by color didn't me he have to subject the rest of Providence to his preferences.

"**He would look so much better bathed in blood…**,"

"Sir, with all due respect I doubt Rex's mental state will allow him to cure EVOs effectively at this point. We wouldn't want to put him in the field prematurely and risk Providence's most important asset and—,"

"Enough doctor! I know you tend to let your emotions for this boy cloud your judgment but it would be best if you remember to put things into perspective. Rex is a weapon of Providence and must be utilized as such to combat a multitude of threats. If he can fight then he will fight. At the moment we have an EVO threat level two attacking Downtown Sacramento as we speak," the screen flicked to a grainy footage of a large creature slamming into cars and roaring at screaming pedestrians before snapping back to White, "I expect Six and Rex to be intercepting the EVO in less than an hour. See to it that Rex is ready for combat," with that gruff dismissal the screen went black. Considerate as ever that fucker.

She stood their hands clenched around her clipboard until her knuckles had turned bone white. She made no move to stop me as I picked up personal effects knowing that our little game of normalcy already had a clear victor. The knowledge that this might in fact be our last meeting weighed heavily on my mind like a burden. Holiday was no god. She was only an ordinary women that somehow got heavily tangled in the lives of several unfortunate individuals. I shouldn't has expected her to have the answers to all my problems. After all she had her own to deal with. With one last glance over my shoulder to engrain as much of her as I could into my memory I stepped towards the door.

"Rex," her voice was only a hushed whisper over all the machines buzzing within the room. She had turned to face me but only slightly. Glancing from the corner of her eye so as to not face the beast head on. Still I stopped to turn to her wishing that none of this sounded like a goodbye, that somehow I could escape these circumstances that had brought me here. A fool's wish at best.

"Yeah, Holiday?" trying to bring back as much of the old Rex I could muster so her last memory of me wouldn't be this monster in sheep's clothing.

"Please, just be careful. Please," I could promise her nothing. I couldn't even promise her safety and she deserved that much. What she was asking was something I could not give. Reassurance that everyone would come home in one piece and I among them. She was sending her children off to war to face a threat she knew dwelled within their own ranks and she was staring right at it. So instead of gracing her with every bitter sweet lie she wished I turned tail and fled from her expectations. If I couldn't be strong for my own sake then I would do it for Holiday. I only prayed that this monster had some semblance of pity.

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><p><strong>So what's your favorite chapter so far? What's your least favorite?<strong>


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